Nail-driving implement



2 I Ma c 2, 192.7 A. E. TAYLOR NAIL DRIVING IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 5. 1925INVENTOR. 479.6 dz-fizuz'a. 7225201 Joi Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,621,761 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. TAYLOR, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIG'NOR OF ONE-HALF TO SCOTTHINMAN, OF ELYRIA, OHIO.

NAIL-DRIVING IMPLEMENT.

Application filed August 5, 1925.

I am aware that attempts have heretofore been made to incorporate nailretaining means in a nail driving implement, such as a hammer, i. e.means whereby a nail may be detachably secured to the hammer head inorder to be started in the material in which it is to be driven. N0device of this sort, however, to my knowledge has ever been commerciallyexploited and one reason for this may be that they have usually takenthe form of attachments or excrescenses on the hammer head which isobjectionable from the standpoint of the practical carpenter who isaccustomed to a hammer that is more or less standardized in shape and,what is more important, carefully balanced in the matter of weight.

One object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide a nailretaining de Vice for use in conjunction with a hammer or like implementwhich will lie wholly within the normal contour of the implement head.Another object is to so locate and dispose such device as to support thenail substantially in line with the center of gravity of the head orwith the axis of the poll.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claim, the annexed drawin and the followingdescription setting fort in detail certain mechanism embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one ofvarious mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may beused.

In said annexed drawing 2- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hammerembodylng my present improved nail retaining device, a nail being shownas held by the lat ter; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said hammer; Fig.3 is a plan or top view thereof; Fig. 4 is partly a side elevation andpartly a central vertical section of the hammer head, the plane of thesection being indicated by the lines 44l, Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is atransverse section taken on the plane indicated by the lines 55, Figs. 2and 3; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5 but showing amodification in construction.

The hammer shown in the foregoing figures of the drawing it will beunderstood is illustrative of any standard type of nail drivingimplement, such hammer comprising the usual handle 1 and a head 2 thatin Serial No. 48,248.

cludes a poll 3 and an oppositely directed pair of claws l. Adjacent thebase of the claws at the convex side is a forwardly opening slot 5, thebottom of which is substantially parallel with the axis of the hammerhead and is converging or rounded, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, whilethe proximal or closed end portion 6 is wider than the rest of the slot,providing in effect an undercut portion. Lying transversely of such slot5 and aligned with each other are two bores or apertures 7. Theserecesses, in the constructional form shown in Fig. 5, are identical, theouter end of each such recess being closed by a threaded plug 8 orequivalent member so as to hold in place in such slots respectively twospring pressed plungers 9. The plungers are thus seen to be spaced fromor lie forwardly of the back wall or bottom of the slot. The exposedends of these plungers are preferably beveled, or rather, conoidallypointed, as shown, and should normally contact approximately at a.mid-point in slot 5. They thus act to center nails of various sizes andhold them firmly by reason of pressing them against the bottom of theslot. At the same time, the tapered or rounded ends of the plungersallow of a universal gripping action, and a nail can be presented eitherway and can be as readily released by a straightaway relative movement,as engaged.

The only change in construction illustrated in Fig. 6 is that the oneplunger receiving recess 7 a is dead-ended instead of extending entirelythrough the corresponding side of the hammer head. In other words, bothplungers with their corresponding springs are designed to be insertedthrough the recess 8 which does thus extend to the outer surface of thehead.

Due to the fact that the ends of the spring pressed plungers 9 arebeveled on both their inner and out-er faces and due to the location ofsuch plungers with reference to the converging bottom of slot 5, nailsthat vary considerably in diameter will be held against such wall wheninserted between same and the beveled or conoidal plunger ends. Theundercut portion 6 of the slot, furthermore, renders it possible toaccommodate nails or spikes with large heads. As clearly shown in Fig.1, the nail when held in place in the slot in the manner just describedis substantially in line with the axis of the poll 3 or, in other words,with the center of gravity of the hammer head. Such nail may accordinglybe driven with the same degree of accuracy as though it were held withthe one hand while the hammer was wield-ed with the other. Furthermore,the contour of the hammer is not changed, the nail retaining means lyingwholly within the boundary lines of the hammer. This is not onlyadvantageous from the standpoint of appearance, but also preserves thenatural balance :of the hammer which is an important consideration. Itis possible to incorporate my improved nail retaining device in anyhammer as at present made wthout afi'ecting its use in the ordin-arymanner at all. For the same reason no special dies or other forgingequipment will he required to manufacture the hammer.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed,

provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalent ofsuch stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my inventionIn a nailwlriving implement of the hammer type, the combination with ahead including a poll and an oppositely directed pair of claws, ot'nail-holding means including a slot at the base of said claws at theconvex side, the bottom of the slot being substantially parallel withthe axis of the hammer head, two aligned recesses, one at either side ofsaid slot spaced from the bottom of said slot, and oonoidally pointednailengaging plungers yieldably projecting from such recesses forpressing a nail toward the bottom ofsaid slot, and forming a threepointengagement therewith.

Signed by me this 1"" day of August, 1925.

ARTHUR E. TAYLOR.

